A Burgess Hill care home which has been put in special measures after being rated inadequate by a health watchdog has pledged to improve.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) said Hilgay Care Home in Keymer Road, which supports people with complex needs and dementia, was ‘not safe’ or ‘well-led’, following an inspection in January.

Hilgay Care Home in Burgess Hill. Photo by Steve Robards

The CQC said standards had deteriorated following its last inspection in April last year, when it was rated ‘requires improvement’ for the third time.

It added: “Staff could describe signs that would indicate that people were being abused.

“We received information from the local authority about a number of safeguarding concerns. This indicated potential issues with the management of risks of people falling. We identified serious concerns which put people’s health and well-being at risk.”

In response to the report, Raechel Davies-Jones, director at the care home, said: “We were disappointed to receive the report. We have made several improvements to the home recently. We have a new call bell system, new boilers, new lift, new wet rooms, new carpets for most bedrooms and refurbished several bedrooms.

“We have immediately taken the report into full consideration. We have had consultants in to help us and, since the report, we have appointed a new interim manager, deputy manager and care manager/senior.

“We aspire to be an outstanding care home. We are focusing on the areas highlighted in the report and we are addressing them.

“We have looked at training and changed the training company, we have moved to a new care planning system which is computerised to help us with care management.

“We have moved to a new computerised management system to help us evidence the main areas of what CQC inspects on, safe, caring, responsive effective and well-led. We are also moving to a computerised medication system.

“We wish to thank the members of staff, the residents and their families and friends, and other healthcare professionals who work with Hilgay.”